If you are interested in the Maine Coon, you have probably met information that there are American and European types in the Maine Coons.
What are they and how do they differ from each other? This division is primarily associated with the development of the breed.
The breed was formed in North America, on the coast of the state of Maine. The Maine Coon is primarily a working farm cat.
The American type is a powerful, heavy cat, with a wide chest and massive paws. A distinctive feature of the American type is the coat - it is thick, almost waterproof, with a thick undercoat, the tail is well pubescent. The head is massive, the muzzle is short, the ears are medium-sized, widely set. The eyes are large.
It was with such a coat that an aboriginal cat could easily survive in harsh and snowy conditions, and with such a tail, you can perfectly cover your head and ears from snow and rain.
The natural color for Maine Coons was, of course, black tabby, which made the Maine Coon look like a real forest cat.
Americans, as lovers of everything big, sought to get a large, massive, well-furred cat, but at the same time not aggressive, but sociable, calm and balanced.
Maine coons were first presented at the cats show in the United States in 1869. Many visitors were amazed by the huge cats, and interest in the breed only began to increase.
After some time, the Maine Coons were overseas, in Europe, where breeders continued to breed these big cats.
In an effort to improve the type of Maine Coon, more extreme animals were chosen for further breeding: with a longer body and proportions, long paws, an elongated muzzle and ears. So in the early 70s, the European type of Maine Coons appeared.
We are often asked, what is the type of Maine Coons in your cattery? It is often difficult to determine the type of Maine Coons, the types are so intertwined with each other that in one cat you can find signs of both American and European types. We do not set ourselves the goal of bringing out a purely American or European type. First of all, we strive to breed socialized and healthy Maine Coon kittens. For the owners of a kitten, this is much more important, huge ears or a shaggy tail.
